madmadge

****Hi Everybody! I'm in graduate school right now and have been laying low on the swapping. I should be done with school by the end of June and back to swapping!!!****

Hello! I'm mad madge and I mostly make collaged postcards. Currently, I am also exploring other techniques and formats such as journalling and painting as well. Not sure I'm all that good at combining paint and collage but I am having fun experimenting.

I live in Spokane, Washington USA with my three cats and partner.

I am a social worker by profession but have always made things with my hands. This includes ceramics, jewelry, paper, and collaged postcards.

I tend to use recycled materials in my collages. We have so much waste in this world that we live in, I can't see buying too many materials when even our food and toothpaste are generally contained in packaging that can be repurposed. Plus, it is fun to take a closer look at all the lies marketers feed us.

I like or love: . . . anything handmade especially when I know that the creator has let her/him or zerself take risks and experiment. Explain your experimentations and risks and you will most certainly get that most coveted swap-bot rating of a heart.

. . . bright contrasting colors such as pinks, magentas, oranges, yellows, reds, lime green, purples, blues, teal,... but also black and white. I love cats and try to spend a good bit of time in nature;

. . . art and photography. Collage seems to be my current love. I take lots of snapshots too.

If we are swapping in a quote card exchange, I like quotes that encourage me to live my life to its fullest.

I like stamps, especially international ones or interesting ones from the U.S.. I also love office supplies, especially those that I wouldn't find at Staples or OfficeMax.

. . . rose patterns. Not sure why, because I'm not that into the actual flower. Polka dots make me smile as well;

. . . eyes and spiders are creepy likes of mine;

. . . textures and I have been experimenting with painting over textured wall papers and such;

. . . and handmade and/or painted papers;

. . . lace and fabric scraps;

. . . patterns from the 60's and 70's;

. . . I'm not very religious but I have a deep respect for the Virgin Mary, la Virgen de Guadalupe, Cuatlicue, the Venus of Willendorf, and all sorts of goddesses.

I speak French, Spanish, and a tiny bit of Arabic. I appreciate references to cultures that are associated with these languages.

Last but not least, I have a deep appreciation for bubble wrap.

I don't particularly like:

. . . images from mainstream fashion mags unless they are sufficiently altered;

. . . things that are too cutesy;

. . . patriotism and flags;

. . .Twilight and the L Word;

. . .quickly pasted together scrap book paper creations.

I spend a lot of time on what I send. My style is a bit messy, but I still take a lot of time making what I send. I appreciate it when people who swap with me take the same amount of care and interest in what they send me.

My Beautiful Laundrette, Fargo, Iron Jawed Angels, Men with Guns, Rabbit-Proof Fence, The Matrix, Lone Star, Harold and Maude, Ma Vie en Rose, Pieces of April, The Sum of Us, and Waltz with Bashir

"The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy, "Invisible Cities" by Italo Calvino, "Zaatar Diva" by Suheir Hammad, Foucault's "A History of Sexuality," Jeannette Winterson's "The Passion," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy, "The City and the City" by China Mieville, anything by Audre Lorde, bell hooks, and Gloria Anzaldua.

I also have a burgeoning love for graphic novels and zines.

Marcel Khalife, Mercedes Sosa, Lila Downs, Ozomatli, Neko Case, Silvio Rodriguez, Lucinda Williams, Soapkills, Fela Kuti, Gogol Bordello, Florence and the Machine, Y La Bamba, Bitch, Le Tigre, Pink, Electric Light Orchestra, Pamplemousse, Michael Franti and Spearhead. . .

"Sponge Bob" and "Daria." I don't like to admit it, but I also occasionally enjoy "CSI." The new BBC series "Sherlock" and Anthony Bourdain's travel show "No Reservations" are other faves.

Annette Messager, Louise Bourgeois, Remedios Varo, Ellen Gallager, Hannah Hoch, Faviana Rodriguez and Lenore Tawney.